Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said yesterday that diabetic disease kills only those he described as “careless” people, disclosing that he had been a diabetic patient for over 30 years.

Obasanjo spoke shortly after leading hundreds of people on ‘Diabetes walk’ in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, to create “diabetes awareness” to commemorate this year’s World Diabetic celebration.

Yesterday’s event was organised by the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation (OOF) and the Diabetic Association of Nigeria (DAN), Southwest zone.
Among participants in the one- kilometre (to and fro) trek were the Oluwo of Iwoland, Osun State, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi; Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye; Chief Executive Officer of OOF, Dr. Olalekan Makinde; and top members of the diabetic body from Lagos and Osun states.

Obasanjo revealed that diabetic disease is not a killer disease, noting that he was well above 80 years, but could walk with “agility,” despite being diabetic.

He lamented that many of the country’s youth rarely do exercise, adding: “Diabetes is not a disease that should kill. I was diagnosed to be diabetic more than 30 years ago, but rather, I am growing stronger.

“If you don’t believe I am growing stronger and you didn’t witness this walk, come and see me at night, you will know I am growing stronger, come and see me in the morning, you will know I am growing, even in the afternoon, you will know I am growing stronger.

“What is necessary is management of diabetes. Some people said some diseases are incurable, but diabetes is manageable and compliant.”He continued: “My headmaster in primary school was diagnosed at the age of 50 and died at age of 85. You will agree with me that he tried.

“What to do is that if you are diabetic, don’t be nonchalant about it and don’t eat carelessly. Three things are important, the food you eat, regular exercise and prescribed medication.

“You can be diabetic and still live till 100. I don’t know when I would die, but I am above 80 and many of the youth could not catch up with my pace during the exercise this morning; many of them were running after me.

“This is my message: Diabetes is not a killer disease or it should not be a killer disease unless you are careless,” Obasanjo said.The monarch, in his brief remark, said he was in Abeokuta to support Obasanjo in the awareness walk and urged people to always take their health serious.

Also, Makinde said the programme was in line with the objectives of the Foundation in the area of health, which prompted the walk awareness programme.In a lecture as part of activities of the programme, former chairman of DAN, Prof Sunny Chienye, called for concerted efforts by all to check the menace of diabetes, declaring that the greatest point of its spread was at the primary stage.